Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/292068
Free Know Your Numbers Personal Appointments As a service to our community, we are offering these free screenings and education in the convenience of one appointment: Blood test for cholesterol & blood sugar levels Blood pressure / Waist measurement Body mass index (BMI). Must be 20 years or older. Limit one time per year. Free//Appointments Required KISH HOSPITAL PROFESSIONAL BUILDING - 815.748.8962 2nd & 4th Thursdays of each month, 7 - 10:30 am VALLEY WEST HOSPITAL - 815.786.3962 2nd Tuesday & 4th Thursday of each month, 7:30 - 10:30 am Turn to the center spread for additional programs. Don't MIX Pills & Pilsners YOU MAY FEEL tempted to brush off warnings about alcohol consumption because you think you know how drinking affects you. But if you're taking medication, your limit is likely to be lower than it would be otherwise. Like alcohol, many medications can cause you to feel drowsy or dizzy and alter your mood or behavior, and drinking compounds these effects. Other medications can cause liver damage, internal bleeding, difficulty breathing, or seizures when combined with alcohol. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcohol-drug interactions may be a factor in at least one out of every four emergency room admissions. Ask your primary care provider or pharmacist how much alcohol you can safely consume with your current medication regimen. DON'T POUR AND IGNORE Before you start sipping your next glass of wine, remember: Warnings on medication labels should be taken seriously. Your limit is further reduced when you take a medicine that contains alcohol. Many cold, flu, and cough remedies contain up to 10 percent alcohol. Alcohol and prescriptions can interact to cause harm even when not taken at the same time. DID YOU KNOW? Sensitivity to alcohol increases with age. As you get older, your body metabolizes alcohol more slowly and experiences the effects of drinking for a longer period. The percentage of water in your body also decreases as you age, causing alcohol to become more concentrated in your bloodstream so you feel the effects more intensely. IF YOU'RE TAKING MEDICATION, EVEN CASUAL DRINKING CAN BE DANGEROUS. KISHPROGRAMS.ORG ⁄ S U M M E R 1 4 15